Yet each year discharge we pollute our coast from Australian outfalls with enough waste water to fill Sydney Harbour two and half times.

Recently we undertook research that found if we take a national approach to recycling water from our 176 coastal outfalls, we can provide net benefits to the Australian economy of between $12-28 billion for only $7.3-$10 billion in costs.

By Australia committing to produce Class A+ recyclable water from our outfalls by 2030 we can help secure Australia’s water future and reduce ocean pollution.

But we need our Federal politicians to act now:

Allocate resources to identify sites for a trial of this proposal.

Ensure the National Outfall Database continues to collect the data that is vital for our understanding of the impact of outfalls on the marine environment and health of recreational users.

Implement National Standards for the reporting of all outfalls in Australia